Description
Author: Lawrence Meredith, Softbound, 156 Pages, ISBN: 9780750923149, 1st Edition, 1999
The VW Golf is one of the most popular small cars of all time. Laurence Meredith's pictorial history features photographs of this remarkable vehicle, more than half of which have never been seen before. This book looks again at the Golf's conception, its continuous development and long career.
The author describes how this practical, reliable vehicle became an extraordinary success and suggests why it has generated such an enthusiastic worldwide following. He recalls the first Golfs of the early 1970s, the Golf GTi that created a new trend in 'hot' hatchbacks, and the continuous improvement and refinemerit of the car over the last twenty years. As a lucid introduction to this Volkswagen success story, his book will attract Golf enthusiasts, old and new, and it will go some way towards explaining the car's enduring appeal.
When sales of the classic Porsche-designed Beetle tailed away after the 1973 oil crisis, Volkswagen's future rested on a new range of frontengined, front-wheel-drive machines headed by the mid-range Golf hatchback. It was economical, powerful, easy to drive, well designed and well made.
It also had an opening tailgate, which increased its practicality, and it set new standards in roadholding.
These strong and versatile cars have been improved and adapted to meet new challenges during the 1980s and 1990s, yet they have retained their innate character and a reputation for unrivalled build-quality, reliability and longevity. Rival manufacturers have sought to emulate the design of the Golf but few have equalled the German car's unique charisma or performance.
Laurence Meredith's account of the Golf, one of the classic cars of the late twentieth century, will be entertaining and informative reading for Golf enthusiasts and for readers with a more general interest in motoring history.
